LPA Conference Destinations

Traveling to and from conferences was part of the adventure. As newlyweds, we arrived at the airport with one bag missing! Each of us assumed the other had loaded the forgotten bag into the cab—the critical bag with all the materials Robert needed for board meetings. Incredibly, he raced home and back to the airport in time to be on the right side of the door when it closed.

Ground transportation was key to navigating destination cities:

• In California, we hired a car to drive to Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco with friends from Little People of New Zealand. Frustrated by lack of direction from his alien passengers, Robert stopped the car on the highway in the yellow-striped V between two lanes that forked in different directions. A motorcycle cop let him off with a warning.
• In Texas, we delighted in Dallas Area Rapid Transit accessibility with David and Lisa. But it took time to learn the system. Lisa and I boarded successfully and watched David and Robert standing on the platform as the train pulled out of the station.
• In California, Robert and I rode accessible public buses to the San Diego zoo when no accessible cabs were available.
• In Colorado, Robert rode in an ambulance to the hospital in respiratory distress while I battled with cab companies that refused to transport me with my scooter. As a sea level resident of Florida, Robert was adversely affected by the mile high altitude of Denver. Upon discharge, he traveled home with a portable oxygen concentrator.

Mostly our appreciation of area attractions came after completion of LPA commitments:

• In Nevada, we valued a day trip to Virginia City in Bonanza country and rafting on the Truckee River.
• In Oregon, we witnessed the aftermath of the Mount St. Helens volcanic eruption.
• In Michigan, Robert—undeterred by Do Not Enter signs—led a group of little people to Tom Thumb’s pool table in a restricted zone of the Henry Ford Museum.
• In Utah, we took a boat trip on the Great Salt Lake without a fishing pole—the lake is too salty for fish.

In all 19 states, we connected with our LPA family at restaurants, coffee shops, off-site events, chatting in hallways or a quiet corner. We laughed, and smiled, and supported one another. We didn’t always agree and sometimes we annoyed each another, but this community has greatly enriched our lives.

This post includes references to the second and third books in my dwarfism memoir trilogy, “Pass Me Your Shoes: A Couple with Dwarfism Navigates Life’s Detours with Love and Faith” and “Always An Advocate: Champions of Change for People with Dwarfism and Disabilities.” Read more at https://angelamuirvanetten.com.